Johnny Manziel may be one of the more interesting athletes to enter the CFL since former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams played for the Toronto Argonauts in 2006. Williams played in the CFL after being suspended by the NFL for multiple violations of the league’s drug policy and due to his fame and talent immediately became the the highest-paid running back in the CFL. Like Williams, Manziel’s off the field issues have led to his exodus from the NFL to the CFL. The scrambling, maneuverability, and gambling playing style of Manziel should make him an intriguing watch for both Canadian and American football fans.

The return to professional football of Johnny Manziel brings to mind two of the most “polarizing” NFL quarterbacks of the past five years, Colin Kaepernick and Tim Tebow. Kaepernick, who has not played in the NFL since 2016, has been the face of NFL players protesting during the national anthem but had significant success during his career with the San Francisco 49ers. He would be interesting to watch in the CFL not only because of his size and speed combination as a quarterback but also because he remains one of the more vocal athletes in North America. The CFL is open to the possibility of having Colin Kaepernick in their league as the Montreal Alouettes put Kaepernick on their negotiation list earlier this year. He has shown no interest in the CFL thus far as he has other matters to deal with.

Former Florida Gators great Tim Tebow became a lighting rod for attention during his brief NFL career. His unusual throwing motion, running ability, and personality were highlighted during his time with the Denver Broncos. During the 2011 NFL season, “Tebow Time” was one of the stories of the season as were is multiple comeback victories in various ways including a playoff win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was never productive enough to earn a starting job in the NFL and hasn’t played since 2012. He has been putting his athletic ability to use on the baseball field as a minor league baseball player for the New York Mets but it would be entertaining to see Tim Tebow back in football, even in the CFL, trying to make crazy things happen on the field. Football fans will have to settle for seeing if Johnny Manziel can revive his football career in Canada.